Maple Leafs 4, Senators 1

Two second-period goals by winger James van Riemsdyk and the goaltending of James Reimer led the Leafs to a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators Saturday night at Scotiabank Place. The victory secured Toronto a berth in the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Entering the night, the Leafs were the only team in the NHL that hadn't been to the postseason since the second last lockout.

Reimer improved his career record against the Senators to 8-1-1 in most impressive fashion. He stopped 49 shots, including 18 of 18 he faced in the first and 16 of 17 that came his way in the second.

Rookie Jakob Silfverberg was the only Senator to beat Reimer when he scored his ninth goal of the season in the last minute of the second period. The Senators' chances remained alive until Nazem Kadri scored his 18th of the season with just under six minutes left in the third.

Joffrey Lupul scored on a breakaway with 1:48 left to seal the victory.

The goals by van Riemsdyk, one on a deflection and the other a rebound during a Toronto power play, gives the Leafs winger 18 goals on the season as well.

Craig Anderson had a relatively quiet night in the Ottawa net facing just 22 shots.

The loss stopped the Senators winning streak at four. They dropped to seventh in the Eastern Conference, where they sit three points ahead of the ninth-place Winnipeg Jets.

Ottawa does, however, have two games in hand on Winnipeg.

NOTES: Declared done for the season after surgery to repair an Achilles tendon sliced by the skate of Pittsburgh Matt Cooke on Feb. 13, Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson has been given clearance to participate in full-contact practices. The defending Norris Trophy winner looked as good as new at Saturday's morning skate and should return to the lineup next week. ... Toronto's Dion Phaneuf had a goal called back in the first period when it was ruled teammate Leo Komarov bumped into Senators goalie Craig Anderson just before the puck entered the net. ... Guillaume Latendresse was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, as coach Paul MacLean wanted to get Matt Kassian in the lineup to counter the Leafs' toughness. Latendresse, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, has six goals and 10 points in 24 games this season. Kassian scored a decisive victory in a first-period scrap with Toronto tough guy Frazer McLaren.